Terming democracy as the glue that has united Indians to gain independence and strengthened the nation post-independence, Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Wanglin Lowangdong today said that India is the most vibrant democracy in the world.
Interacting with a group of 13 students of Kendriya Vidyalaya No 1 here after they witnessed the proceedings (Question hour) of the house, the speaker advised them to imbibe the spirit of democracy that had prompted Dr. B R Ambedkar to write the Constitution or made Mahatma Gandhi.
"You can dream in our democracy and blossom as good citizens of this great nation to prosper together, unlike in nations where democracy is not in practice," Lowangdong said citing the example of North Korea under Communist rule and South Korea under democracy after Korea split into two following the great Korean War 1950-53.
He referred to his recent visit to South Africa to attend the 59th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference at Johannesburg which was attended by representatives of 54 Commonwealth nations.
Though visit of school and college students to witness proceedings of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is a practice for them to have a clear understanding of the value of parliamentary democracy, Lowangdong inked the record in assembly history by giving permission for the maiden visit of the students accompanied by teachers Ashwini Kumar Rai and Smita Pandey besides devoting almost an hour with the students immediately after the question hour.
Appreciating a question on the necessity of a library and museum, the speaker said though it is a heart and soul of an institution like Assembly but it could not be set up in this old building. The new assembly building would have such provision with good number of qualitative books where the students would be permitted to read.
Responding to a volley of questions on the role and functions of the speaker, procedure of passing a bill, any bill passed to protect the interest of the students' community and ways to imbibe the spirit of democracy, the speaker cited the example of Arab Spring that saw the dictatorial rulers in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya getting toppled by giving way to democracy so also in neighbouring Myanmar.